Last year, we devoted a lot of blog space to Thanksgiving, by Sam Sifton. And since weโre editors and writers, supposedly on the pulse of what the lastest, greatest, trendiest everything is, we should probably be featuring this yearโs of-the-moment holiday cookbook. But hereโs the thing: โtrendyโ and โof-the-momentโ are not words that should EVER EVER EVER be in the same sentence as โThanksgiving,โ and we stand by our claim that Sam Siftonโs timeless, authoritative, delicious guide to our countryโs greatest holiday is The Only Thanksgiving Recipe Collection You Will Ever Need. (Outside of your grandmotherโs recipe box, of course โ we donโt want to get anyone in trouble here). As such, we launch our โCountdown to Thanksgiving Seriesโ with a bountiful giveaway: In the next 48 hours, five readers are eligible to win a free copy of Siftonโs Thanksgiving, and five more are eligible to have a free copy sent to whoever is cooking/hosting the feastโฆ as a little pre-holiday pump-up and thank-you-in-advance. Thatโs TEN COPIES WE ARE GIVING AWAY. All you have to do is leave a comment below (we wouldnโt complain if this comment included a Thanksgiving tip) and tell me which one you are: #Host or #Guest.
Update: All winners have been notified. Congrats Josh, Betsy, Candice, Eva, Molly, Susan, Colleen F, L, Divya, Memegirl and to everyone else thanks for playing!
Related: Sam Siftonโs 1o Laws of Thanksgiving.
Iโm finally a guest! Most years I host, so Iโm excited to be a guest this year. This is the best holiday of the year: friends, family, and food.
I am the host and the best tip I can give use is prepare the gravy uses a make ahead recipe about week before the big day. Everyone in my family stresses about the gravy, not me!
#guest And very happy to have my SIL to host this year!
My tip is a strong agreement to ask each guest what makes Thanksgiving for them, and even ask them to bring it if possible so that it really is the right recipe, etc.
Love to read this compilation of tips!
My husband and I are the hosts, and the best thing we do is butterfly the turkey and throw it on the grill. Hubs does it and it doesnโt take much time to cook. This also gives me the oven to bake other things. Weโve done this for at least five Thanksgivings and all guests agree that a brined, grilled turkey it tops! Thank you!
#guest. My mom is 75 and still the best cook around. Sooner or later I need to make my first turkey.
Weโre a combo of guest and host. Guest in that we will all be gathering at my momโs house down the street but host in that we will be supplying three main dishes: the turkey (hubby smokes it), dressing/stuffing and cranberry relish. Hope I win!
I will be a guest this year. My tip, boil down that carcass and make some stock! The best part of that turkey is the turkey soup 24 hrs later.
Hereโs to hopingโฆWinner, winner, turkey dinner!
I am a #guest at my grandparentโs house!
My tip is to make a tree out of a tree branch and have guests hang leaves (made of paper) on the tree where the write what they are thankful for!
Thanks for the giveaway โ Iโm traveling for Thanksgiving this year and have offered to be the cook in my brotherโs kitchen! I could certainly use a hand. ๐
#Guest. Gratiously but itโs my dream to host!! Somedayโฆ
I love turkey! Happy Thanksgiving! #guest
I sure do love a new cookbook! Iโm somewhere in between #host and #guest this year. Wonโt be taking place at my house, but I make a lot of the dishes!
Iโm hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the first time and feeling a bit overwhelmed! Would love to have this book as a reference. #host
Always a #guest but still like to #cook.
I am a guestโฆbut I am bringing several dishes.
guest. Bring something!
Hosting this year. My tip is to keep a nice glass of wine by the stove to calm your cooking jitters!
Guest this year. Looking forward to mashed potatoes (gotta have them a little bit lumpy!)
#Host
This is my third year hosting for a group of friends and Iโm looking forward to itโฆ albeit a little nervously. You see, last year, there was a little mishap with the oven (actually, it got turned off for some unknown amount of time) which resulted in a two hour late turkey! I have some redeeming to do this year ๐
Iโm working hard to prep more in advance this year and am reading my notes from last year โ very important!
A great tip I was given last year at my local farmerโs market. I was picking out a sugar pumpkin to make pumpkin puree. The gentleman at the market asked if I was making a pie and suggested using a โLong Island Cheeseโ pumpkin โ lovely, sweet, and not at all stringy making for a great puree. This fine tip made for a great pumpkin pie!
Weโre hosting as alwaysโlots of family intrigue and really good food. ๐ #host
Weโre hosting as alwaysโlots of family and really good food. ๐ #host
Iโm the host and my best tip is to plan! A good plan makes the day stress free. I do as much ahead and that way I can enjoy !!! I LOVE THANKSGIVING!!!
Hosting this year! ๐
I usually host, but last year my daughter was born thanksgiving day! My advice would be not to have a baby on thanksgiving, the hospital dinner is much as you would expect, and no one brought me any pie!
Very excited to be the #host for 18 people on the big day! Tip: donโt try to do it alone. Know your guestsโ strengths and delegate. And drink plenty of water (good tip any day of the year).